5 Wine and Food Trails You Can Explore by Bike

April 01, 2019

By Katie Cunningham

Brought to you by Bosch eBike systems

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Australia’s wine regions are among the world’s best and great vineyards aren’t all we’re blessed with. Our cellar doors are set in beautiful stretches of the country, making their well-established cycle paths an unbeatable way to travel between wineries and artisan food stops. Just pick which trail you want to explore, jump on a bike and get on your merry way.

Shiraz Trail, South Australia

You can taste the best of the McLaren Vale on the eight-kilometre Shiraz Trail, which passes wineries including Hugh Hamilton, Serafino, Primo Estate and Oxenberry. The flat, scenic route follows an old railway corridor and offers unspoiled views of the vineyards and Willunga Ranges, as well as putting you on the path of the Willunga Farmers Market. If you want to extend the trip, upgrade to an ebike and ride another 30 kilometres to Marino Rocks to tick off the full Coast to Vines Rail Trail.

Pedal to Produce, Victoria

Victoria’s Pedal to Produce trails offer a variety of ways to explore the King Valley – the hardest part is picking which route you want to do first. On the picturesque Milawa-to-Oxley leg you can kick off at Rose Hill Estate Wines before hitting Ciccione, Brown Brothers and Sam Miranda. It’s an easy 10-kilometre return trip along flat terrain and passes plenty of cosy restaurants and cafés along the way.

Around Hermitage Food and Wine Trail, NSW

A new purpose-built cycleway, opened in 2017, means the Hunter Valley is now more bike-friendly than ever. The 10.6-kilometre trail ­travels the most winery-dense stretch of the Hunter, passing highlights like craft beer hub Iron Bark Hill Brewhouse and the boutique, family-owned Mistletoe Wines, where you can enjoy a glass in the charming sculpture garden. All that cycling is bound to work up an appetite so be sure to stop in for cheeses and locally grown olives at Tintilla Estate, or sit down for a meal at a friendly restaurant like EXP.

Barossa Trail, South Australia

The best way to do the Barossa is on two wheels. The Barossa Trail puts you within reach of some of the region’s best cellar doors (Penfolds, Seppeltsfield, Jacob’s Creek and Rockford Wines among them) as well as food destinations like Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and the Barossa Farmers Market.

You’ll also get to ride past attractions like the Barossa Museum and Mengler Hill Sculpture Park. While it can be broken down into shorter legs, the full Barossa Trail stretches for 40 kilometres between Angaston and Gawler, making this a great one to tackle on an ebike so you can keep track of how far you’ve gone using the on-board computer.

Swan Valley Cycle Trail, Western Australia

The Swan Valley, just 90 minutes from Perth, boasts four different bike-friendly routes to choose from. Keen cyclists, or ebike riders with pedal assist, can tackle the 18-kilometre loop that can take you past seasonal produce stalls, an artist’s studio and Gomboc Gallery and Sculpture Park; or keep it short and sweet with the three-kilometre loop that takes in no less than five wineries, including Harris Organic and Upper Reach.